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Player Archie Gray

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Different positions of course but I thought it was interesting comparing him with Ajayi, with the two of them having been born just three months apart.

Ajayi is a player with talent who did some nice things in the game, but has a very understandable rawness to him, he'll misplace a touch, run himself into the wrong channel, just little mistakes as he works his way through the game.

By contrast, it's precisely the lack of that stuff that's so obvious with Gray and explains why scouts and managers have been pushing him into teams well beyond his years since he was like 14-15. Controlled touches, understanding of what's going on around him, always gives himself options in multiple directions, just very fundamentally sound.

It takes more to be a top player, you've got to take those fundamentals and force them upon the game, but the basic building blocks still separate him from his age peers as they have always done.
 
FightingIllini said:
Different positions of course but I thought it was interesting comparing him with Ajayi, with the two of them having been born just three months apart.

Ajayi is a player with talent who did some nice things in the game, but has a very understandable rawness to him, he'll misplace a touch, run himself into the wrong channel, just little mistakes as he works his way through the game.

By contrast, it's precisely the lack of that stuff that's so obvious with Gray and explains why scouts and managers have been pushing him into teams well beyond his years since he was like 14-15. Controlled touches, understanding of what's going on around him, always gives himself options in multiple directions, just very fundamentally sound.

It takes more to be a top player, you've got to take those fundamentals and force them upon the game, but the basic building blocks still separate him from his age peers as they have always done.
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Kids that get fast tracked through the youth ranks either are just physically dominant, technically dominant, or read the game at a rate that is beyond their year.

Archie is the latter I think. You can see that he knows what to do. But he isn't there quite yet technically and physically. Once his body catches up with his brain he's going to take a leap.
 
FightingIllini said:
Different positions of course but I thought it was interesting comparing him with Ajayi, with the two of them having been born just three months apart.

Ajayi is a player with talent who did some nice things in the game, but has a very understandable rawness to him, he'll misplace a touch, run himself into the wrong channel, just little mistakes as he works his way through the game.

By contrast, it's precisely the lack of that stuff that's so obvious with Gray and explains why scouts and managers have been pushing him into teams well beyond his years since he was like 14-15. Controlled touches, understanding of what's going on around him, always gives himself options in multiple directions, just very fundamentally sound.

It takes more to be a top player, you've got to take those fundamentals and force them upon the game, but the basic building blocks still separate him from his age peers as they have always done.
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Hrs got a Carrick in him. Nothing flashy but keeps things moving. Very solid performance but he wont have as much time to think against PL teams as he had tonight though.
 
PointToPatrik said:
Kids that get fast tracked through the youth ranks either are just physically dominant, technically dominant, or read the game at a rate that is beyond their year.

Archie is the latter I think. You can see that he knows what to do. But he isn't there quite yet technically and physically. Once his body catches up with his brain he's going to take a leap.
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He’s pretty much there technically.
RealCoolYid said:
If he could drive us up the pitch like this on a Saturday I’d be a big fan
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He definitely can. I’m not sure he will play though. Let’s hope he does both
 
FightingIllini said:
Different positions of course but I thought it was interesting comparing him with Ajayi, with the two of them having been born just three months apart.

Ajayi is a player with talent who did some nice things in the game, but has a very understandable rawness to him, he'll misplace a touch, run himself into the wrong channel, just little mistakes as he works his way through the game.

By contrast, it's precisely the lack of that stuff that's so obvious with Gray and explains why scouts and managers have been pushing him into teams well beyond his years since he was like 14-15. Controlled touches, understanding of what's going on around him, always gives himself options in multiple directions, just very fundamentally sound.

It takes more to be a top player, you've got to take those fundamentals and force them upon the game, but the basic building blocks still separate him from his age peers as they have always done.
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Agree! And I think having seen Bergval push on and making regular starts, the pair of them will feed off of one another. Very encouraging for now and the future.
 
Sir Archibald Crooks said:
Thought he was excellent tonight playing further forward. Keeps the ball well and can actually pass.
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This is actually something I was going to comment on.

Is Gray a 6? to me he plays more like a ball winning 8 like Rice

A 6 like Wharton or Rodri soon as they win the ball first thought is a pass into the forwards to hit the opposition when they are not set. Gray’s first thought is to dribble. That is fine higher up the pitch but as a 6 it’s not right, one you miss the opportunity to get the forwards going at the defence and worse if you lose the ball the entire backline is exposed.

Gray likes to ball win, dribble, ball carry, make runs all over. He has instincts of a ball winning 8 like Rice not a Wharton type of player. Should we be shoehorning him into a role that might not fit him rather than play to what he is good at. Ignoring Bissouma, Palhinha to me is the only player who looks natural just above the defence positionally speaking.
 
Play Up Spurs!!!! said:
Kind of hope so if Rod is shilly shaĺlying on his contract.

But I'd be asking the question whether he's sufficiently advanced in the defensive side of his game to be ahead of Rod in the selection.
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I wouldn’t be in any rush to extend RBs contract.

He has this season to show that he’s at the level to drive us to PL and CL titles. If he can’t, then that spot for a senior CM needs to be used on someone who can, whether that’s Gray or someone who is ready now that Gray can be around for the next 2-3 seasons then take over from
 
PointToPatrik said:
Kids that get fast tracked through the youth ranks either are just physically dominant, technically dominant, or read the game at a rate that is beyond their year.

Archie is the latter I think. You can see that he knows what to do. But he isn't there quite yet technically and physically. Once his body catches up with his brain he's going to take a leap.
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He was probably also pretty physically dominant as a kid I reckon. Nowadays there are very few kids who get fast tracked through academies who aren't physically dominant. He's just not a physical freak in the way Rooney was for example
 
Tomo said:
This is actually something I was going to comment on.

Is Gray a 6? to me he plays more like a ball winning 8 like Rice

A 6 like Wharton or Rodri soon as they win the ball first thought is a pass into the forwards to hit the opposition when they are not set. Gray’s first thought is to dribble. That is fine higher up the pitch but as a 6 it’s not right, one you miss the opportunity to get the forwards going at the defence and worse if you lose the ball the entire backline is exposed.

Gray likes to ball win, dribble, ball carry, make runs all over. He has instincts of a ball winning 8 like Rice not a Wharton type of player. Should we be shoehorning him into a role that might not fit him rather than play to what he is good at. Ignoring Bissouma, Palhinha to me is the only player who looks natural just above the defence positionally speaking.
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It depends on what we mean by 6 or want in a 6.

He’s not going to be Palinha but he is definitely going to be press resistant. If you are going to have the ball a lot and need someone to get the ball off the CBs, keep it under pressure, twist and turn into space, then play a pass between the lines, Gray can definitely do that and very few English CMs can (ie Rice). He also has the experience pf playing CB and FB so should understand the positional differences to cover for those. I thought it was interesting watching Palinha step out from CB and Gray rotate to cover him.

But where I had some pause to agree with you last night was watching his engine to get up and down and then like you said his ability in tight spaces further up to keep moves alive. You might be wasting that by playing him as a sitting #6
 
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